Birdlore: The Kingfisher - Halcyon Days

Kingfishers are in a group of birds found throughout all the continents of the world. 

As their name suggests, most Kingfishers eat fish and dive beak first for their primary prey into the rivers, lakes, or streams of their habitat.  The exception would be members of the Halcyonidae family, or Tree Kingfishers, which inhabit more woody habitats and prey mostly on invertebrates and small mammals.

Chadder, the Laughing Kookaburra, is a member of the Halcyonidae family. (photo by Jessica Bunke)

Along with their diverse range, Kingfishers also play many important roles in ancient human cultures.  Among the Native American tribes, the Kingfisher was a messenger, a sign of fertility and good luck, or a master hunter.  Or in one particular legend, a human was changed into the world’s first kingfisher as punishment for thievery.

The Legend of Halcyon and Halcyon Days

In the far past, Halcyon was another word used for those kingfishers that built their nests by the sea.  The term is derived from the name of the Greek goddess, Alcyone.  The Greek legend of Alcyone and Ceyx is most well-known in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, a series of books about human transformations to animals from Greek and Roman myths.

Alcyone was a goddess and a daughter of Aeolus, the god in charge of the winds.  She married a mortal king, Ceyx, and the two shared a deep passionate love that even brought the attention of the gods.  At one point, Ceyx decided to make a fateful trip across the sea to consult an oracle of Apollo.  Alcyone pleaded with her husband not to make the journey, as she was terribly afraid of the seas.  Nonetheless, Ceyx left overseas for the oracle.

As it would happen, a terrifying storm overcame Ceyx’s ship, not far from the coast, and he drowned with his ship disappearing into the waves.  Ceyx died whispering his beloved wife’s name on his lips and praying to the gods that Alcyone would know his fate and return his body to her.

After being told in a dream by the god, Morpheus, about her husband’s fate, Alcyone fled down to the coast in grief and despair, where upon she found Ceyx’s lifeless body.  Unwilling to live on without Ceyx, Alcyone threw herself to the mercy of the waves.  Moved by her love and devotion, the gods took pity and saved her by changing her into a Halcyon bird (kingfisher).  As Alcyone embraced Ceyx in her new form, he was then transformed into another kingfisher so the two could now live and be together.

Sacred Kingfisher (wikipedia.org)

Halcyon Days

In the life to follow, Alcyone would still meet with misfortunate and grief. She made her nest near the shore where her beloved’s body came to rest; stormy waves would come and wash away her eggs every time.  Crying and pleading to the skies, Alcyone begged for a reprieve.

Finally, Zeus was touched by Alcyone’s plight.  Zeus commanded her father, Aeolus, to still the winds of the sea for 14 days in the middle of winter.  So, Alcyone, granted a reprieve, was able to keep her eggs safe until she was done incubating them every winter with calm clear days.

This two week period, surrounding the winter solstice, would become known as Halcyon Days and celebrated by Greeks for centuries in honor of Alcyone and Ceyx.  Halcyon Days is also an expression for a calm, serene, and reflective setting.

May your coming days be of Halcyon Days.

Be sure to visit the World Bird Sanctuary where you may see Chadder the Laughing Kookaburra once our St. Louis weather warms enough for him to be housed outside.  Chadder can be found  in his display enclosure down the walking trail behind the Kathryn G. Favre Wildlife Hospital.  If you're lucky you may hear his distinctive call.

Submitted by Jessica Bunke, World Bird SanctuaryTrainer

Laughter In Song

When I first began as a volunteer at World Bird Sanctuary, I was ecstatic at meeting all the unique and wonderful bird species up close, especially, the Sanctuary’s Laughing Kookaburra, Chadder. 

Chadder, the Kookaburra, sitting on his favorite branch

Previously, I had only known this member of the Kingfisher family through the old Aussie song, “Kookaburra” by Marion Sinclair, as many young children learned at summer camp or in the classroom.

During my weekend Keeper Talks, I ask the kids visiting with mom and dad if they’re familiar with the Aussie song, singing a few lines in the meantime to jog their memories.  Most of the time, the children nod excitedly and with bright smiles as I introduce them to Chadder.  And sometimes, as if on cue (but not always), Chadder will let loose the merry laugh in greeting for which his species is renowned.

While the Kookaburra’s call sounds merry and good-natured, it is actually a declaration of territory.  The individual Kookaburra will tell members of its family unit, ‘stay away this is my branch’ or an entire family unit will erupt in a noise hysterical chorus to warn away rival Kookaburra families from their tree.

The Laughing Kookaburra is perhaps the most well known of the four Australian Kookaburra species.  The other three species are: Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Spangled Kookaburra, and the Blue-winged Kookaburra.

Considering Kookaburras lived in a very small portion of the world--regions of Australia and New Guinea--they are known throughout the world because of the popular song, “Kookaburra” and for their unmistakable merry, hysterical call.

Be sure to visit the World Bird Sanctuary and say hello to Chadder, the Laughing Kookaburra!

Submitted by Jessica Bunke, World Bird Sanctuary Volunteer

Who's Laughing Now?

Chadder is her name and she is, you guessed it, a Laughing Kookaburra.

Have you heard a maniacle laugh while walking our trails?  It might be Chadder.

She got her name from what she does best, chadder.  She seems to love to voice her opinion in the early morning when the sun is barely coming up and at dusk as the sun is creeping toward the horizon.

The Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) is the largest member of the Kingfisher family.  They are stocky birds that range from 13 to 16 ounces and range from 15 to 18 inches in length.  Females are normally slightly larger than the males.  Their beak can grow up to 4 inches in length. 

Kookaburras are native to eastern Australia, but have been introduced to Western Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania.  These birds are known for their loud call or “laugh”, which is “kook-kook-kook-ka-ka-ka” repeating multiple times.  These birds also have the nickname of “bushman’s clock” from their early morning and evening calls every day. 

This stocky little bird with the oddly shaped bill is Chadder, our Laughing Kookaburra

The Laughing Kookaburra is a carnivore and will eat large insects, other birds, small mammals, small snakes, lizards, amphibians, and sometimes fish.  Chadder is given a variety of meat each day, such as rabbit, venison, mice, fish, and sometimes beef and chicken. 

They nest in termite mounds in the Acacia forests of Australia.  They also will use hollow trees, and earthen banks.  The female will lay one to five white eggs.  Both parents will take turns incubating the eggs over a period of 25 to 29 days.  When the chicks hatch they are blind for their first three weeks of life. 

These loud birds can live 10 to 12 years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity.  Chadder is currently 4 years old.  She came to us from the Milwaukee County Zoo where she was hatched.  She has learned to slam a plastic lizard on the ground (this is how they kill lizards in the wild), to step up onto the hand, and to step onto a scale for weighing.  You can see below that Chadder is happily perched on her favorite perch in her exhibit.  Almost every time I pass her, she is up there keeping a look out for new visitors that come by. 

When visitors stop at her enclosure who is watching who is debatable

She is available for adoption in our Adopt a Bird program.  To find out more information  call 636-861-3225.  All adoption donations are tax deductible. 

This summer Chadder can be seen on the Exhibit Line at the World Bird Sanctuary which is open daily from 8am-5pm.  Chadder is a very boisterous little bird.  You should stop on by and visit her! 

Submitted by Lisbeth Hodges, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

The Laughing Kookaburra

At the World Bird Sanctuary we have one of the four known species of Kookaburra, a Laughing Kookaburra named Chadder. 

Chadder enjoying his summer quarters on the upper trail near the hospital

These birds are very appropriately named since their call sounds similar to hysterical human laughter.  The first time I ever heard the call of a Kookaburra was in Disney’s Jungle Book animated movie.  They never showed what was making the call and I of course was too young to know it was a Kookaburra.  I thought it was some type of monkey call!  I had never heard that call anywhere else and did not know what it truly was until I heard the sanctuary’s Kookaburra for the first time.  I remember a huge grin spreading across my face.  I thought it was just so cool! 

Native to the eucalyptus forests of eastern Australia, the Laughing Kookaburra is the largest member of the Kingfisher family.  It is a carnivore.  Its beak can reach 4 inches long and is used to catch a variety of prey, such as small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects.  Like some of North America’s native owls, i.e. the Great Horned Owl, Kookaburras use a "sit and wait" technique of hunting, inspecting their surroundings from a perch, then swooping down to snatch up prey as it comes along.  Small prey is killed directly by the crushing action of the beak.  Larger prey, including snakes of up to 1 meter in length, may be smacked repeatedly against a branch, or dropped from a considerable height until killed.  Kookaburras have been introduced to Western Australia and New Zealand, where they have angered farmers by preying on their fowl.

Like many birds, Laughing Kookaburras are monogamous.  They nest in tree holes, where females lay one to five eggs.  The chicks are taken care of by a family group made up of parents and elder siblings, just like Harris’ Hawks, which can also be seen on display at the sanctuary.  A family of Kookaburras will often call all at the same time to denote their territory.

Chadder enjoying his indoor heated winter accommodations

Right now Chadder has been moved indoors to our behind the scenes location where he will spend the cold winter months.  When spring arrives, Chadder will be back outside on the display line just past the wildlife hospital.  When passing by, be sure to shout out “hahahaha!” and he may laugh right back at you!  

To see some videos of Foster,  one of our other Kookaburras, click here.

Submitted by Sara Oliver, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist